{Written for Fantasmical 2023}
Join Rosabell Mason, a young alchemist apprentice exploring her world to understand it better and discover who she wants to become, all while facing off against powerful magic, encountering bold and cunning new enemies...
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Rosabell sat silently on a metal bench, confined behind bars of a cell in the Trylla Detective Bureau with no one but herself for conversation.
She pinched the sleeves of her green dress, her aquamarine eyes glancing through the tussled pink mop of hair on her head as the cell door opened and revealed a constable standing valiantly with his feet shoulder length apart and arms at his side.
"Please, I didn't mean to hurt anyone, I swear," Rosabell said, standing. She wandered towards the constable with fear in her eyes.
He closed the door before she was within reach.
"Lucky for you, no one's pressing charges," he said deadpan. "Be patient, and you may be out by sundown."
Rosabell curled her fingers around the metal bars separating them. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone," she muttered.
"You've got a visitor," said the constable.
"Visitor? Who?"
The constable left, never breaking eye contact. He opened the door and held it.
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
The sound of high heels on the tiled floor emerged, approaching with eagerness.
"Thank you, constable. I can take it from here."
A woman of thirty-five walked into the room, wearing a black trenchcoat with golden buttons. Her blonde hair, almost as white as snow, brightened her sharp face, her rose-red lips bold and the first thing Rosabell lingered on after being pierced by her frigid grey gaze.
The constable walked out of the room as instructed and closed the door.
Rosabell stared at the woman, who held a small wooden box.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Vanessa Silver. It's a pleasure to meet the girl who can allegedly summon the elements on a whim. Fire, water, earth, air. That's quite a valuable arsenal."
Rosabell sighed, taking a step back. "What do you want?"
Vanessa smirked. "To give you this."
She held out the wooden box towards Rosabell, who stared at it suspiciously.
"Go on, take it."
"I don't touch strange objects. I already learned that the hard way."
"It's just a box."
Vanessa poked her hand through the bars.
"What have you got to lose?"
Rosabell took a sharp breath, contemplated her following action, then snatched the box. She analyzed the gold seal holding the lid shut.
"What is it?"
"Good fortune. A fresh start at life," said Vanessa.
Rosabell looked at her with trepidation.
Vanessa smiled. "You could sell it to a merchant collector and make enough money to charter a ship and leave this place. To go somewhere where no one will know what you can do."
"Why would I do that?" Rosabell asked.
"My dear, after your vibrant demonstration, every intellectual genius in this city will want a piece of you, of your power."
"What's inside?"
"A mystery, but you lose your ticket to freedom if you open it."
"Why are you helping me?"
"Call it a friendly favour."
"I appreciate that, but I don't know you. I don't need your help."
Rosabell split the golden seal with her fingernail and opened the box. She gasped, eyes large with bewilderment.
Vanessa smiled. "Well?"
"It's empty."
"Oh, what a shame. I tried to warn you. Now it's worthless."
Rosabell threw the box onto the floor. "You tricked me!"
"Honey, I'm a suspicious stranger. What did you expect?"
Rosabell frowned and crossed her arms, pacing the cell.
Vanessa sighed. "Well, you can stay here and leave your fate to the wolves, or I can make you a proposition."
"Which is?"
"Come work for me."
Rosabell laughed. "What do you do?"
"I run an organization in the city. Mercenaries, thieves, con artists."
"You're a criminal."
"I am an entrepreneur," Vanessa replied, "and your newfound abilities open doors to avenues previously thought impossible. You would make us unstoppable."
"A tantalizing offer," Rosabell said sarcastically, "but I'll take my chances with the authorities."
"Do you know what they do to witches?" Vanessa asked.
Rosabell grew pale.
"They burn them."
"I'm not a witch."
"You summon air from your fingertips, cause the earth to shake, and have a spirit talking to you in your head. In their eyes, you are a threat, but in mine, you are a solution."
Rosabell rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes, sitting on the metal bench.
Vanessa squared her shoulders. "So what's it going to be, Rosabell Mason? Me or the fire?"
Rosabell dropped her head into her hands and sighed. A tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it swiftly with a quick stroke of her hand, then looked at Vanessa's figure looming like a dark shadow outside her cell door.
